The year is 1983, BMW have just revealed their first-ever fuel-injected four-cylinder motorcycle to the world in the form of the shaft-driven K100. A bike who’s engine is mounted sideways to resemble a block of butter and is quickly affectionately referred to as the “Flying Brick”. The 90bhp K100 was a moderate success and came in many forms including RS, RT and naked models, but it was the arrival of the triple-cylinder K75 that people realised that this was the sweet spot.
Essentially a K100 with a cylinder lopped off the K75 was greeted with a warm reception, especially when the half-faired K75S arrived landed in 1987 thanks to it’s light weight, and excellent handling.
With the decline of the 200bhp-plus superbike market in favour of more manageable and practical sportsbikes, it could make sense to do the same thing with the S1000RR and downsize it to a more charismatic, affordable, and useable option. In light of the imminent announcement of the Yamaha R9 and the well-received Triumph Daytona 660 and CFMoto 675SR triples, a three-cylinder sportsbike makes a lot more sense in today’s climate. Thoughts? Join in the discussion on facebook and Instagram
